"SHALL I ?"

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 168, 4 September 1886, Page 3

"SHALL I ?"

Shall I do this sir, and sl'mll I do that, sir ? Shall I go in sir, or eha.ll I go out ? Shall it bo bonnet, or shall it be hat, sir ? State your opinion; I'm sddly in doubt. Shall 1 go riding, or shall I go walking ? Shall I accept, or shall I refuse ? Shall I be silent, or shall I koop talking ? Give your advice, pray; I cannot well choose. Thus do we pander to others' opinions, Wealing the garb ol" Society's slaves ; Fashion's a tyrant and we are her minions. Robbing our life of the freedom it craves Ought I to visit her, ought I to cut her ? Shall I be friendly, or shall I be cold ? Shall I look boldly, or peep thiough the shutter ? Shall I give silver, or shall I give gold ? What will be said if I stay from the dinner? "What will bo said if I'm seen at the ball ? Will they proclaim me a saint or a sinner ? If not the former, I go not 'it all. Thus do we pander to others' opinions, Wearing the garb of Society's slaves ; Fashion's a tyrant, and we are her minions, Robbing our lives of the freedom it craves. "Why not go forward, undaunted, unfear ing, Doing the thing that is lawful and right ? Caring not who may be seeing or hearing, Shunning the darkness, and courting the light. Surely, if conscious forbear to upbraid us, Well may we laugh at the verdict of fools ; God is our quide — for Ilis service lie made us — Not to be ruled by the makers of rules. .Pander no longer to others' opinions; Wear not the garb of Society's slave; Be not of Fashion the pitiful minions ; liob not your life of the freedom it craves.